Day 1 6/6/2023
Santo Domingo
Frank's Trip
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SANTO DOMINGO & the Island of Hispanola
This is where the NEW WORLD began
and for indigenous peoples, where their world began to end
PLEASE NOTE: When OLDEST and FIRST is used in these pages, it means Oldest and First built by Europeans. Indigenous peoples had many of the same sorts of things long before Europeans arrived.
Santo Domingo Colonial City a World Heritage Site
The Colonial City of Santo Domingo has high symbolic value as an early colonial settlement in the New World: it was founded in 1498. The historic enclave of Santo Domingo, known as the Colonial City, covers almost 2 sq. mi. Inside the walls are dozens of historical buildings and sites, including palaces, forts, museums, and churches
It boasts the Western Hemisphere's first paved street, first cathedral, first palace, first stone built house, first monastery, first hospital, first university, and the first court of law. Also the oldest military construction still standing and oldest Dominican church still standing in the New World as well as some other firsts pictured on these pages.
Santo Domingo was an established city over 100 years before the Pilgrims landed in America.
The oldest cities in the United States were established by Spain after Santo Domingo: Santa Fe, NM 1607; San Augustine, FL 1565 - and before any English and Dutch cities.
Parque Colon - Columbus Park
Parque Colon is the central square of the Ciudad Colonial historic district of Santo Domingo. In its Center stands a late-19th Christopher Columbus, in whose honor the square was renamed in 1887. Previously the square was known as Plaza Mayor.
Calle del Conde, once the thriving commercial heart of Santo Domingo, starts from Parque Colon and runs to the Puerta del Conde.
A big (95' tall) Clock Tower stands out in the old town. This neoclassical-style building was once Town Hall and it is located by Parque Colón.
Video: An Evening in Parque Colon - Is Less More?
The Dominican Republic is a middle income developing country. Is seems an excellent example for other developing countries. With a poverty rate of well over 30% it is still working to be better for everyone. Compared with America, the DR has much less.
HOWEVER, this video in the park begs a question in my mind of whether less is more... What I've seen in DR as compared with America is LESS Violence, LESS Guns, LESS Hate. If you add those minuses up, I believe they come to a BIG PLUS.
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Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación / Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor / Cathedral of the Americas / Catedral Primada de América
The Cathedral of Santa María la Menor in the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo is dedicated to St. Mary of the Incarnation. It is the oldest cathedral in the Americas.
The Cathedral was consecrated by Pope Julius II in 1504 and its construction began in 1512 under the leadership of Bishop Fray García Padilla.
Video: Nuestra Senora de la Encarnacion
The 'Catedral Primada de America' from the 1500s
I got a fair amount of video in the church and was then informed that video was not allowed... so I shut it down. Nevertheless, the video I got shows much of the church.
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